| Thomas Blacket Stephens | |
|---|---|
Thomas Blacket Stephens in 1867. |
|
| Born | 5 January 1819 Rochdale, Lancashire |
| Died | 26 August 1877 |
Thomas Blacket Stephens (1819-1877) was an alderman and mayor of Brisbane.[1] His middle name is often written as Blackett.
Contents |
Thomas Blacket Stephens was born on 5 Jan 1819 at Rochdale, Lancashire, England, the son of Rev. William Stephens and his wife Elizabeth Blacket.[2] In 1849 Thomas emigrated to New South Wales where he married Anne Connah in Balmain, Sydney at the home of his cousin, Colonial Architect Edmund Blacket, in 1856.[3]
The couple moved to Moreton Bay, now Brisbane and had 12 children in Brisbane (4 of whom died in infancy). Their children were:[4]
In 1860, Thomas erected a two-storey house in South Brisbane called 'Cumbooquepa' from the Aboriginal name for the waterholes on the land.[5]
Thomas died in Brisbane on 26 August 1877.[4]
In 1890, his widow Anne built a newer home 'Cumbooquepa' above Vulture Street on the property at South Brisbane. This house was later purchased in 1919 as the boarding school for the Brisbane girls' school Somerville House and is now heritage listed. It is often stated that Thomas built or occupied this 'Cumbooquepa', but he is only associated with the earlier house.
He had a number of companies as well as interest in land development. His first business in Brisbane is believed to be a woolscour at Ormiston near Moreton Bay.
In 1856 he purchased land at Stones Corner near Ekibin Creek and established a woolscour. The following year (1857) he purchase some adjacent land at Annerley and established a fellmongery and tanning business in Essie Street.
In May 1861, Thomas purchased The Moreton Bay Courier and he soon turned it into a daily newspaper, the Courier. In 1864 it became the Brisbane Courier. In June-July 1868, he floated the Brisbane Newspaper Company, and transferred the plant and copyright of the Brisbane Courier to it.[6] He was the managing director until he retired in November 1873, when the paper was auctioned.[7][8]
He was also one of the first people on the board of trustees at Brisbane Grammar School
Thomas was an alderman from 1859 to 1864 and was mayor in 1862 of the Brisbane Municipal Council. He served on a number of committees:[1]
From 10 June 1863 to 13 May 1875 Thomas was the elected Member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland (lower house) for the electorate of the Town of South Brisbane.[9]
He held many senior positions in the government including"[9]
On 22 July 1876, he was appointed a life Member of the Legislative Council of Queensland (upper house) until his death on 26 August 1877.[9]
He was one of the original trustees of South Brisbane Cemetery[10] and was buried there upon his death in 1877.[11]